CONTENTS
CHAPTER PAGE 1 [PICTURE “PUNCH”] 1 2 [A NEWS BREAK] 12 3 [COVERING THE FIGHT] 22 4 [OLD HERM] 32 5 [THREE ALARM FIRE] 40 6 [RESCUE] 50 7 [DARKROOM DIFFICULTIES] 57 8 [“HELLO, HERO”] 66 9 [A CRY FOR HELP] 75 10 [THE MISSING PICTURES] 82 11 [DISASTER AT SEA] 90 12 [A DARING PLAN] 100 13 [ABOARD THE BELMONIA] 108 14 [THROUGH THE WINDOW] 117 15 [PUBLICITY PLUS] 127 16 [THE BASEMENT ROOM] 135 17 [A DOOR OPENS] 141 18 [SUSPICION] 150 19 [A LOST KEY] 159 20 [OUT OF THE PAST] 168 21 [FLASH INVESTIGATES] 177 22 [A CAMERA TRAP] 185 23 [ACCUSATIONS] 194 24 [A SHATTERED ALIBI] 200 25 [FRONT PAGE STORY] 207
FLASH EVANS
and the
DARKROOM MYSTERY
CHAPTER I
PICTURE “PUNCH”
“Sorry, son. There are no jobs open. Afraid we can’t use these pictures, either.”
Tom Riley, city editor of The Brandale Ledger shoved the stack of glossy black and white prints across the desk toward Jimmy Evans who faced him squarely, a miniature camera protruding from the pocket of his shabby tweed overcoat.
“Well, thanks anyway.”
Jimmy spoke in a flat, discouraged tone as he gathered up the photographs and slid them into a cardboard folder. The editor watched him with a thoughtful gaze.
“You’ve been coming around here quite often, Evans.”
“Yes, I have. I figure there’s no law against trying.”